Refrigeration



Sept. 4, 1934. J R KILLEN r 1,972,844

REFRIGERATION Filed April 14, 1933 9 fiY/i'zvim'cflil I Patented Sept. 4, 1934 UNITED sTATEs PATENTI'AOFFJCE REFRIGERATION of Delaware Application April 14, 1933, Serial N0. 666,165

4 Claims; (Cl. 62141) This invention relates to refrigeration and more particularly to apparatus for cooling drinking water or other liquids to be cooled.

Heretofore refrigerating apparatus" has been 5 provided for cooling drinking water or other liquids which apparatus has been known as of the instantaneous type in which the rate of flow of liquid through the cooler is limited so that no more liquid shall be drawn through the apparatus-than can be cooled by the refrigerating system of the capacity provided therefor.-

This

type of apparatus is known as of the instantaneous type because it is adapted to cool water only as fast as it is used and almost instantaneously as it is used. One of the chief objections to this type of apparatus is that the rate of flow is limited, and if an abnormal demand for a relatively fast flow of liquid should be made on the apparatus, it is not likely to cool the liquid as fast as desired or to the temperature desired.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a refrigerating apparatus which has all of the advantages of the instantaneous type of water cooler above described, but. which is capable of providing a relatively largeamount' of cooled water if such an abnormal demand should be made on the system.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of the presentinvention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an apparatus embodying features of my invention;

and r 'Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an improved type of pipe for liquid to be cooled which may be used.

A water or other liquid cooler, according to my invention, includes, in general, a water cooling device 10 of the type which is now known as an instantaneous water cooler.

This instantaneous desired temperature.

To this end, the refrigerant evaporated from the body 11 is condensed on the pipe 12 and returns by gravity to the body 11. The interior of the pipe 13 forms the evaporator of a primary refrigerating system which includes a refrigerant liquefying unitin the form of acompressor '14 which discharges compressed refrigerant to a condenser 15 which in turn discharges to a liquid refrigerant receiver 16. Liquid refrigerant flows through the pipe 17 and branch 18 to an expansion valve 19 and from thence into the pipe or evaporator 13, the evaporated refrigerant of the primary circuit returning through the line 20 to the compressor 14. The expansion valve 19 is of the automatic type and is made responsive to pressures within the cooler 10. The discharge end of the pipe 13 is provided with a valve 21, also of the automatic type which is. also made responsive to pressures within the chamber 10. The valves 19 and 21 are so adjusted, that when the temperature of the body of liquid refrigerant 11 rises above a predetermined limit, the valve 19 opensand admits liquid refrigerant into the pipe 13. This liquid refrigerant evaporates and in so doing condenses the refrigerant from the 'body- 11 on the outside of the pipe 13, and thus reduces the temperature of the body 11. The evaporated refrigerant within the pipe 13 passes through the valve 21 and line 20 to the compressor 14. Thevalve 21 is so adjusted, that when the temperature of the body 11, and consequently pressure of the gas within the chamber 10, falls below a predetermined limit, the valve 21 closes or throttles to prevent a further fall in pressure and temperature in'the body 11. Thus the valves 19 and 21 are adapted to maintain the temperature of the body 11 within predetermined upper and lower temperature limits. The operation of the compressor 14 is controlled by means of a snap switch 22 responsive to pressures within the line 20. The snap switch 22 starts and stops the motor 23 which drives the compressor 14. r

In order to provide means for increasing the capacity of the water cooler, so that it may be capable of providing a relatively large quantity of cooler water during an abnormal demand, I have provided, in the preferred form of my embodiment, a pre-cooler 30. This pre-cooler may include a tank 31 within which is placed a spiral baflle 32. An evaporator 33 is placed in thermal exchange with the interior of the tank 31, in this particular embodiment by wrapping the pipe forming the evaporator 33 around the exterior of the tank 31. The evaporator 33 may be provided with the expansion valve 34 which is of the automatic thermostatic type made responsive to the temperature of the bulb placed at the discharge end of the evaporator 33. When a sufficient amount of liquid refrigerant has been allowed to enter'the evaporator 33, so that it tends to reduce the temperature of the bulb 35, the bulb 35 closes thevalve 34 or throttles the same, to limit the quantity of refrigerant entering the evaporator 33. The evaporator 33 is in refrigerant flow relationship with the refrigerant liquefying unit by means of the liquid line 17a and evaporated refrigerant line 2011 connected to the lines 17 and 20 respectively.

In the operation of the device, water to be cooled enters through the pipe 36 around which the baffle 32 is placed, and then flows through the spirals of the baille 32 to the pipe 37. The precooled water then flows through the pipe 37 to the instantaneous cooler 10 where it passes through the pipe 12 and is discharged to the discharge device such as a faucet, bubbler. or the like. When there is no demand for cooled water, the primary refrigerating system operates to cool a relatively large amount of water in the tank 31. This water may actually be cooled substantially to the ,same temperature as that required at the discharge of the pipe 12. When a demand is made for water, the cold waterpasses through pipe 3'7 and may 'not place any load whatsoever, or only a slight load, on the water cooler 10, the

Water merely flowing through the pipe 12 without raising the temperature of the liquid refrigerant 11. However, should a large demand be made,

it is possible to withdraw all of the water from the tank 31 at a relatively high speed without reating any demand whatsoever on the cooler 10. The capacity of .the tank 31 is so made that it is able to meet any demand likely to be made on the system. After the amount of water is withdrawn equivalent to the volume of tank 31, then the rate of flow of water is decreased to the maximum flow permissible through the cooler 10 when it s subjected to normal demands.

Sometimes it is desirable to use a type of pipe for liquid to be cooled which is not likely to burst if the liquid therein should be accidently frozen. I have discovered that pipe 12 may be given the substantially elliptical cross-section shown in Fig. 2, with advantageous results. While this type of cross-section reduces likelihood of bursting if the liquid to be cooled should be accidently frozen, it does not produce a churning effect on the liquid. This is a particularly"advantageous construction where beverages such as beer are being cooled. This type of pipe may be used advantageously in liquid coolers of the instantaneous type whether the pre-cooler is used or omitted.

' While the form of embodiment of the invention as hereindisclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a container for liquid to be cooled having an inlet and an outlet, a refrigerating system for cooling said liquid including a cooling unit in thermal exchange With said liquid and-means for withdrawing refrigerant from the cooling unit, a liquid pre-cooler for said container including a liquid tank having an inlet for liquid to be cooled and an outlet connected to the inlet of said container, a second cooling unit in thermal exchange with said tank, said second cooling unit being in refrigerant circuit flow relationship with said means for withdrawing refrigerant.

2. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a liquid cooler of the instantaneous type and including a body of volatile liquid refrigerant, a conduit with an inlet and an outlet for liquid to be cooled, said conduit being in thermal exchange with said body, a refrigerant liquefying unit having provisions for maintaining said body at a substantially constant temperature, and a liquid pre-cooler in series relationship with said liquid cooler, said pre-cooler having a tank for liquid to be cooled and having an outlet in series flow relation with the inlet of said conduit, and a refrigerant evaporator in refrigerant flow relationship with said liquefying unit.

3. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a liquid cooler of the instantaneous type and including a body of volatile liquid refrigerant, a conduit with an inletand an outlet for liquid to be cooled, said conduit being in thermal exchange with said body, a refrigerant evaporator for condensing refrigerant evaporated from said body, a refrigeram: liquefying unit for liquefying evaporated refrigerant from, and returning liquefied refrigerant to said evaporator and a liquid pre-cooler in series relationship with said liquid cooler, said pre-cooler having a tank for liquid to be cooled and having an outlet in series flow relation with the inlet of said conduit, and a refrigerant evaporator in refrigerant flow relationship with said liquefying unit.

4. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a liquid cooler ofthe instantaneous type and includ-' ing a body of volatile liquid refrigerant, a conduit with an inlet and an outlet for liquid to be cooled, said conduit being in thermal exchange with said body and having a substantially elliptical cross- 

